Over the past few years, the number of complaints filed with the Medical Board of Texas and the Texas College of Nursing has increased significantly. This influx of cases is mainly due to Texas law, which limited the number of non-economic losses that patients could recover in a lawsuit for medical claims from doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals. And while Texas has become a more hospitable state for physicians who rated low malpractice insurance and a reduced risk of litigation, now more patients feel that their complaints are better addressed through medical or nursing councils instead of the courtroom. Will you be prepared if you receive written notice of the complaint investigation?
Your lawyer should certainly prepare you for what happens when you find yourself in front of a medical or nursing board, but I would like to share my advice on the approach you should take from the moment you know that you will meet with a panel
"Dos"
1. Professionally dressed
You may believe that you demonstrate your dedication to your profession by coming to a hearing in the bushes or on a stethoscope, but there are other opportunities to prove that you are a serious member of the medical community. Instead, business clothing that you wear in any courtroom should be your clothing of choice on this important day.
2. Be prepared to admit a mistake.
The advice will be softer if you acknowledge that, despite the fact that your efforts were not demonstrated during the example under consideration. As with the Americans and their elected leaders, honest apology goes a long way in correcting misconduct. Of course, your attorney should be very careful in advising you not to testify on issues that may be self-deprecating or self-limiting.
3. Strengthen your position with documentation.
The best way to avoid your day in front of the panel panels is to be meticulous in your words, actions, and decisions. Nurses should know everything possible about their responsibilities for keeping records, how to ensure optimal patient safety, and the procedures that should be followed when leaving the task. Doctors should always be polite and honest with patients, as well as thoroughly document and report. The hard paper trail that supports your side of the story is one of the most powerful weapons you have at your disposal.
4. Decide the board of directors.
As soon as both sides presented the facts, the witnesses spoke, and you had the opportunity to share your recollection of the incident, the council is about to make its decision. If you have a complaint about the complaint, the group will share its recommendation for punishment. You will still find that there is a place for negotiation. And if this fails, you will have the opportunity to appeal this decision to the State Administrative Hearing Office (SOAH), at which time an administrative law judge will be assigned to this case and a more formal judicial system will begin.
"Don"
1. Do not ignore the notice from the boards.
As with your electricity bill and those weekly phone calls from your mother, the notifications you receive from medical or medical advice should receive a response. Pretending to accuse you does not exist; it is not a wise way to assert your innocence.
2. Do not bypass the chain of commands
Perhaps your favorite cousin is the waiter of your state representative, and you think that a good word from the legislator will make this problem disappear. Or you are considering a phone call to a local newspaper to share the unfair accusations you are facing. Do not get around this process. Be a strong supporter for yourself, but do it within the legal system.
3. Do not expect your lawyer to make the most of the conversations.
Board members want most discussions to be with you directly. You must be thoroughly prepared for the facts of the complaint; details may be submitted on your behalf and your version of the events that caused the hearing in the first place. If you constantly treat your lawyer, your competence and confidence in your own actions will be questioned and will remain under serious control.
Conclusion
To be sure, no medical professional wants to come before the review board to defend their practice against complaints from an unhappy patient, medical college or employer. However, if you find yourself in such a situation, you want to know that you are doing everything possible to ensure the best result. Your licenses, livelihoods, and reputation as a doctor or nurse may be shown on the card. Knowing what to expect before a notice on board appears in the mail, you create the circumstances for pleasantly resolving the complaint process.
